Sunday
Aug032008
Convention 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008 at 09:06PM
August 3, 2008
I know I said this would go live on Monday, but I just had to get on today and post my first entry.
After months of anticipation and hard work and excitement, convention is over!
I love convention! I love feeling the energy and looking at all the great project ideas and popping in on the classes. But what I love most about convention is meeting people from across the United States and Canada, talking to them and sharing our enthusiasm for what we do!
I have to be honest though—it’s hard work, and I’m exhausted. But I had to get on and share what I was feeling. I wanted my first blog to be about how much I love and appreciate our wonderful Stampin’ Up! demonstrators and staff members! And how much I loved spending the last three days with so many of you.
Check out this sample that I saw! We have thousands of projects displayed on our display boards at convention, and I enjoy seeing as many of them as I can. This is only one of hundreds I took pictures of, and I wanted to share it with you. I liked it because it made me happy! I love the Always set, loved the color palette (they are colors I’ve used in my own stamp studio), and loved the layers. I just loved everything about it.
I’ll share more project ideas—and thoughts about convention—in the days to come. But for now I’m going to rest and recover, go cuddle on the couch with my sweetheart and get ready for the coming week. We’ll chat more later. . . .
I know I said this would go live on Monday, but I just had to get on today and post my first entry.
After months of anticipation and hard work and excitement, convention is over!
I love convention! I love feeling the energy and looking at all the great project ideas and popping in on the classes. But what I love most about convention is meeting people from across the United States and Canada, talking to them and sharing our enthusiasm for what we do!
I have to be honest though—it’s hard work, and I’m exhausted. But I had to get on and share what I was feeling. I wanted my first blog to be about how much I love and appreciate our wonderful Stampin’ Up! demonstrators and staff members! And how much I loved spending the last three days with so many of you.
Check out this sample that I saw! We have thousands of projects displayed on our display boards at convention, and I enjoy seeing as many of them as I can. This is only one of hundreds I took pictures of, and I wanted to share it with you. I liked it because it made me happy! I love the Always set, loved the color palette (they are colors I’ve used in my own stamp studio), and loved the layers. I just loved everything about it.
I’ll share more project ideas—and thoughts about convention—in the days to come. But for now I’m going to rest and recover, go cuddle on the couch with my sweetheart and get ready for the coming week. We’ll chat more later. . . .
Reader Comments (149)
What a beautiful page! I agree, it makes me happy too! I can't tell you how excited I am about your new blog. Thanks for sahring it with us!
Thanks for all you and your staff's hard work to make convention 08 so much fun for the demos and guests attending. I must say that I am feeling a lot like you in the exhausted department. Of course I am adding jet lag as well. Even without my first cup of java today I had to check in your blog..congratulations on taking this big step and I look forward to seeing more about the Gardner/StampinUp family.
Trish B from KY
That page is gorgeous!!
Thanks to you and the fabulous SU staff for the best convention yet, although I too am exhausted, I am completely refreshed and excited about our new year. Thank you for your inspiration and continued support I am ready to conquer the new goals I have set and ready to share SU with everyone I come into contact with!
Wow! What a beautiful sample! Those were my wedding colors! :) Thank you so much for making this blog, Shelli. I look forward to reading it. I was incredibly inspired at convention not only as a demonstrator, but as a mother and a wife too. It was my first convention since I've only been a demonstrator for almost a year and I had no idea what to expect. I was overwhelmed with excitement. And I was thrilled to see that you exercise some of the same values I have. Faith and family is so important to me. I hope that you can get some good rest and enjoy the rest of the year!
Just wanted to thank you, Shelli, for the incredible Convention you put on this year!!! It was just awesome and filled with great ideas for us as demos, no matter what level we're at. I didn't get a chance to speak with you personally this year, but wanted you to know how grateful I am for the amount of work, thought, and effort you put in to this annual event.
Thanks so much and I LOVE your blog!!!
A very happy demo in S. Weber UT
Hi Shelli
Great idea to have a Blog ...I have one request could the print be larger ...I had a very hard time reading it! I don't want to miss a word and it was a sruggle to read the print...thank you DD
Note from Shelli: We're looking into what we can do about making the print larger. I'll keep you posted. . . .
I absolutely LOVE that page!!! I was browsing through someone's photos from convention over the weekend and saw the Artisan boards when I saw THAT page; it IS beautiful! I was so surprised to see it here this morning! Great job to the artist!
I'm sorry I missed convention this year, but I will certainly be at leadership! Best of luck Shelli and Stampin' Up! with the next 20 years! I'm excited, recharged by my fellow stamping sisters that took part in our own little "virtual convention"; all would agree it was a BLAST and we are all just as charged up as the rest of our stampin' sistahs!
I Loved Convention! Cant wait to attend more.
I wanted to see more surprise boxes opened and was disappointed when this didnt happen? Cant wait for the next box!
always
MaiLi
:) WOW, beautiful page! I wasn't at convention but it sounded very exciting... i was excited for everyone attended! a group of my demos friends for SW Ontario went and it sounds like an amazing time was had by all! Congrats to you and your TEAM at SU. I'm very excited about all the changes coming up with Stampin' Up!. I had cancelled my DBWS but reactivated when i heard about some of the exciting changes. Enjoy your day.
I absolutely love your blog and the spirit behind it. The design is lovely and the colors are perfect. My only suggestion would be to make the font darker so that it is easier to read when it appears over your picture, or seperate the text from your picture so we can see your pretty self front and center!
Note from Shelli: We're looking into making the font darker, but text shouldn't be appearing over any photos. If you are using Internet Explorer version 6, there are some issues with that, but you can update Internet Explorer version free at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/ie/getitnow.mspx. That will at least fix the text appearing over photos. I'll keep you posted on the font color. .. . Thanks for your kind words!
Hi Shelli!
Love the Blog! It's SO Shelli!!! :-)
Had a wonderful time at Convention too. This is a page I took a picture of and last night and was zooming in on it for details when I uploaded all 300+ photos!
Convention was inspiring! I focused on contacting as many of the "big names" as I could and came home with a lot of great ideas from classes, main stage and everyone around me!
Thank you!
Shelli,
Love your site, what a lovely layout. I am so excited that you have decided to launch this site. Convention was the lift I needed to get excited about my business again. Thank you, Thank you for everything. Even though I do not have consecutive years w/ SU! I have been 'with' you for 11 years on and off. There is no better company in this business than SU!
Thanks again, Shelli
Many Blessings,
Kimberly
I'm so excited you created this blog and look forward to checking it frequently to see what you're up to. I LOVE the colors and the beautiful layout you posted. Thanks for sharing!
Convention was incredible! I am continually inspired by the creativity, talents, and caring and loving attitudes of everyone at Stampin' Up!
My thanks to you and the Stampin' Up! staff. You are all are truly an inspiration!
wanda
My first convention was fun and exhausting all at the same time. The main stage presenters such as Jaron, Brent and Linda perpetuated the fun atmosphere. Main stage was the best part, although classes, swapping, Riverton tour and the boards with all the ideas are great as well. The giveaways were so exciting except in the end, when my group had to leave a little early to catch the last flight out and we didn't get the free stamp set.We are so bummed that we attended convention and missed this giveaway.Thank you for the professional, well organized and thought out convention. It is costly for us to attend and you made it worth the sacrifice.
I love your blog. I am looking forward to hearing more about your family and new ideas that you share with us. I did not attend convention but have gone to conventions with other companies in the past. Love them and can't wait to be able to attend one with Stampin Up. I know the excitement that everyone was feeling who attended as I felt it here as well when you shared the upcoming things with us. I am looking forward to sharing them with my customers and hope they are as excited as I am. I am really excited about the Big Shot die-cut machine. Looking forward to looking at your blog on a daily basis. Rest up and enjoy your family today so you can share some more with us tomorrow. Best Wishes and God Bless You!
I'm sooo excited that you've entered the "blogging world!" If you have a minute, check out the top picture on my blog...it's of you! :)
Convention was awesome and I can't wait for celebrate every year with you and Stampin' Up!
Good morning Shelli!
Beautiful blog! Beautiful Family! Thank you for continuing to make SU the best! I didn't get to convention this year, but I've been reading the updates. I am so excited about what I've been reading and seeing! I can't wait to share SU with my customers, and also to see what's coming next!
Judy
I have to agree, I loved that same page as well. Now that I have all these pictures and ideas I'm ready to run off and prepare for my next class. Couldn't do it without you Shelli! Thanks for all you do and to your family for making this possible.
How cool you are! Love your new blog!
Thanks for a great convention Shelli! I've only been a demo since September so it was my first, but it certainly won't be my last! And that page you shared is amazing.
Just wanted to post a quick Mahalo (Thanks) to you, Shelli, and to the wonderful staff who made the convention a blast! What a way to celebrate 20 years of bringing what you love to do to others. I feel more inspired and energized to share what I love! Thanks again, and I can't wait to hear more on your blog. Congratulations on taking that leap! :)
Shelli,
I just wanted to say..I love Convention! It generates me for the rest of the year, and into the next convention, regional, or leadership!
My DH Gary attended this year (along with a dozen of my down line) although it was not Gary's first convention, I know it was his favorite, so far! He was amazed at the Riverton Center and just can't believe all the things he seen. I love to watch his face and the faces of my first-time goers when they see all the work, excitement, projects, and your staff's enthusasium, etc!
Thank you again for ALL your hard work and please relay our Thanks to ALL at Stampin' Up!
"We Love Ya Shelli!"
Hi Shelli! thank you for taking the time to blog and share your life with us! I am looking forward to your entries!
you are now in my "favorites"
Thanks for the wonderful uplifting convention! Here's to a great 2008! I can't wait to go out and sell the "Big Shot" by SU!
Elizabeth